basic credit cost me $12, you can call any local credit agency

, look up your yellow page.
you can make your tenant pay for it, some landlord requre a $25 application fee, but for me, I just pay for it myself, normally I have a pretty good feeling about a tenant after the interview and work reference, credit check is just a last step.
just remember, good credit doesn't always mean they pay their bill, I had seen good credit ppl go bad so fast.